Todd’s career as a professor and a lawyer is approaching forty-five years. As a lawyer, he has served his clients in complex income tax matters, including U.S. Tax Court, Court of Federal Claims, and District Court litigation as well as in numerous audits and IRS appeals. His expertise as a lawyer also includes business transactional matters, estate planning, and probate and trust administration.
As a Professor of Accounting at the College of Business and Economics, California State University of Northridge, he has taught a potpourri of taxation courses, both undergraduate and graduate including, but not limited to, corporate tax, federal tax procedure, income taxation of estates and trusts and estate and gift taxation. He was the co-director, founder and developer of the original Master of Science in Taxation Program at the Business School at CSUN. He has worked for over thirty-five years with a host of accounting students who are now, and continue to be, successful and influential CPAs in the Southern California economy.
As in previous years, and again in 2008, Todd was named a “Super Lawyer” among Southern California lawyers, an honor attributed to his expertise – State Bar Certification in Taxation Law – and ability and track record of success.
He continues to teach part-time in the new Master of Science in Taxation Program at CSUN and is involved as an advisor to the Program since becoming Professor of Accounting, Emeritus in June 2006.
Todd’s continued involvement in teaching has resulted in one of his best source of referrals – his former students – who, after entering the business world, have returned to hire Todd for his expertise in the tax and transactional business worlds. His attention to detail, academic prowess, and unique insight constantly reward his referring sources and their clients with exemplary results. He continues to serve them as a trusted confidant.
Early in Todd’s career, he was the tax lawyer for Gregson Bautzer, Esq. and his firm. Greg was one of the premier entertainment lawyers in Los Angeles for many years, later merging his firm with Wyman Bautzer Rothman & Kuchel. Consequently, after leaving the Bautzer firm, Todd has continued to handle the business and transactional affairs for many in the entertainment field.
Todd has served as a member of the Plan Giving Committee and is a benefactor of the John Wayne Cancer Institute. He is currently serving as a member of the Board Directors of the California State University Northridge Foundation.
“After almost forty-five years of practice, I get the toughest cases. The ones that CPAs and other lawyers can’t solve.”
Todd was involved in a complicated and sensitive family dispute over a probate and trust controversy where he represented the children who had issues with the way that their deceased mother’s second husband was handling her estate.
The second husband was manipulating the estate to reduce the share that the children should properly be receiving. Todd developed a strategy that showed that the decedent was most likely subjected to undue influence and suggested that significant litigation would be initiated. In addition, his financial analysis and actuarial computation supported a $2 million settlement distribution to the children without the need for lengthy and expensive litigation.